Italy's Meloni warns Europe risks irrelevance in Ukraine peace talks

ROME, Nov 5 - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday Europe risked becoming irrelevant in any Ukraine peace negotiations unless it ends competing diplomatic initiatives and agrees on a single representative empowered to speak on its behalf.

• In a letter to EU Council President Antonio Costa, Meloni says proliferation of different negotiating formats is making Europe less credible and giving the impression it is proceeding in "random order"

• Says she is not seeking a place at the negotiating table for herself or Italy, but Rome will not accept commitments being negotiated without an EU mandate

• Calls for EU leaders to decide who should represent the bloc in negotiations and what mandate that person should have

• Asks for the issue to be discussed at an informal European Council in Dublin next week, with a formal decision to be taken at a December summit following coordination with Britain, Norway and other European partners REUTERS